Exercising apparatus



H. M. RUDEN.

EXERCISING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 3, 1920.

1,344,963. Patented June 29,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l. 2 w I H. M. RUDEN.

Y EXERCISING APPARATUS. v

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 3, 1920.

Patented June 29, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 UNITED STATES PATENTIIOFFICE.

HENRY rib-RUBEN, on wnsr HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

EXERCISING APPARATUS.

Application filed March 3,

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, HE RY M. RUBEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at West Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Exercising Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connectionwiththe accompanying drawings and the characters of referencemarked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said. drawings constitute part of thisapplication, and represent, in-

Figure 1, a plan viewofan exercising apparatus embodying my invention.

Fig. 2, a viewthereof in side elevation. I

Fig. 3, a detail 'Iview of oneof the'caplike split bearings, oneof which is mounted upon each of the-vertically adjustable posts. I l I.

Fig. 4c,-a corresponding view of one of the two adjustable saddles mounted upon the main frame-bar. j I I a Fig. '5, a detached view partly in section and partly in elevation of the abdominalkneadercam. I

, Fig. 6, a detached end view of the floorplate showing its. dovetail groove.

Fig. 7,'a broken plan view ofa separately organized foot-power unitIde'signed' to be interchangeabl used with the foot-power unitshown in igs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 8, an end iew thereof. I I

My invention, relates to an improved exercising apparatus "for use Iin; gymnasiums and in private homes, the object being to produce a compact, easily adjusted appa-' ratusv designed to compel the exerciser to make I pre-determined, concurrent, circular movements with his arms and legs, and at the same time to assist him in a synchronous movement of the diaphragm whereby the exerciser is led to accompanythemovement of his hands and legs with regular. deep. breathing. g I -I -I With these ends in view, 'my linvention consists an an exercising apparatushaving certain'details of construction and combinations of parts as will be hereinafter de-' scribed and pointed out in the claims. I

In carrying out my invention, as herein shown, I employ two exercising-wheels 2 and 3 located in the same horizontal plane, each provided on its rim with an upstanding grip or handle 4 and deslgned to be I Specification of Letters Patent. Patented une 29,1920- 1920. Serial No. 362,995.

spacedapart sothat the outer edges of their I floor-plate 10 in which it is adjustable.

Directly in frontof the pommel" of the seat5 butabove the same, as shown in Fig.

2, I locate an abdominal-kneader 11 cen-- trally arranged between the wheels12 and 3 as shown in Fig. 1, this kneader being mounted upon the rear end of a reciprocating bar 12 sliding in a bearing 13 pivotally secured to a'bracket-arm- 14 extending rearwardly from a hub 15 adjustably secured'by' a clamping-bolt 16 to the main bar 17 of the machine-frame. I I

To insure the concurrent pre-determined movement of .the hands, legs, and abdominal-kneader, the said exercising-wheels 2 and 3, pedals 6 and kneader 11 are geared together-seas to actin concert and so that the independent movement of any one of them will effect a Ioorresponding movement of each of the others. I Y v The particular means for connecting and operating the wheels, pedals, and kneader may obviously be varied Without departing from my invention.v

"As herein shown, the exercising-wheels 2 and 3 are'rotated against airpressures developed in compression cylinders 18 receiving pistons not-shown but carried by pistonrods 19 the outer ends of which swivel upon I the pins 20 employed to mount the grips or handles 4 upon the rims of the wheels. The outer ends of the said cylinders 18 are pivotally connected with and supported by the outer ends of swinging arms 21 thereto pro"- vided with upstanding studs 22. The inher ends of the said arms 21 are formedwith sleeve-bearings 23 by which they are swiveled upon the middle portions of. shafts 24 journaled in brackets 25 bolted to the rear faces of saddles 26 mounted upon the main frame-bar l7 .and clamped thereupon in any desired position of lateral adjustment by means of clamping-bolts 27, whereby the apparatus is fitted, so to speak, to the armreach of a given exerciser.

,The exercising-wheels 2 and 3 are fastened to the upper ends ofthe said shafts 24, the projecting lower ends of which carry bevelgears 28 meshing into corresponding bevela gears 29 keyed to the rear ends of horizontal shafts 30 extending transversely under the. main frame-bar 17 and provided at their forward ends with corresponding bevel gears 31 meshing into Corresponding bevel gears 32 ona main shaft 33 arranged front of and parallel with the main bar 17,-

but in a plane slightly lower than the same.

i V The rear ends of the shafts 30' have bearing in the brackets 25 while their forward ends have-bearing in brackets 34 secured by bolts 35 to the forward'faces of the saddles 26 aforesaid.

Under the construction described, the op-' eration of either or both of the exercisingwheels 2 and 3 effects the rotationof the shaft 33.

I n For theirota tion of the main shaft 33 by, leg-power the pedal-shaft 7 is furnished with a bevel-gear 36 corresponding in size" and'pitch of teeth to'all of the bevel-gears thus far mentioned and meshing into a; cor; responding bevel-gear 37 located within a housing 38 integral with the upper end of the pedal-bracket 9, the shaft 39 of the bevel-gear 37 being'connected by a universal i joint 40 of any approved construction, with a solid shaft 41 having sliding but not rotary movement in a tubular shaft 42,"the

forwardupp'er end of which has bearing in a bracket 43 suspended from the -main' i shaft 33. V v

The projecting'forward end of the tubu through power transmitted to it from the wheels 2' and 3 which turn in unison'with thepedals irrespectiveof the source of the motive power. I V a The'abdominal-kneader 11 is reciprocated by meansof a uniform motion cam 46 mounted on the shaft 33 and encircled by,

a cam-ring 47 having a projection'48 in which'the forward end of the rod 12 is adjustable. Through its cam 46 the rotary motion of the shaft 33 is converted into the reciprocating motion of the kneader 11, here shown as consisting of a horizontally ar-Q' ranged, transversely bowed or domed plate,

but its form and construction may be changed as desired; Thusin-place of the bowed plate 11, I might employ an aircushion ora'roller; or the kneader might be dispensed with and replaced by a musicbox or mechanical toy to be operated by the cam 46 through the rod 12, for the amusement of a child. 'Inasmuch as all-of the bevel-gears emwill never fail to operate synchronously and V r constantly tend to make him do so. 7

As shown, the horizontal main frame-bar 17 is mounted at its ends in cap-like splitbearings 48 mounted upon the upper ends of corresponding vertical posts 50 adjustably mounted in flanged socketsol adapted to be secured to the floor. I As shown, the lower; ends of the posts are formed with a series of holes 52for the reception of pins 53 passing through the upper'ends of the sockets;- The seat 5 is mounted upon a bracket 54 adj u'stably mounted upon a seat-post carrying a back-rest 56 vertically adjustable upon the post by means of a hand-wheel 57 and adjustable back and forth with respect to the seatrby means of a hand-Wheel 58. The said'seat-post 55 isiformed at its lower end with a dovetail foot '59 adapted to be mounted in the dovetail groove" 6O- of the floor-plate-IO in which the said post is adjustable back and forth'as well as'the pedes' tal9of the-foot-power-unit.{'

'In' using my improved apparatusgit' is readily adjusted to the reach of the arms and "legs of the user by laterally moving the saddles 26 upon'the' main frame-bar '17, while the height of'the main bar 17 above the floor is regulated by adjusting the posts'50 in the sockets 52,- this adjustment being taken up by the telescopingt action of the solid shaft 41 and tubular shaft 742. It becomes unnecessary to effect a nice 'al'ine'ment of the parts in these adjustments,'as any want of perfect alinement is taken-up by the universal joint40; The height of the saddle is easily adjusted by the saddle-post -55. The back-rest 56 is also adjustable upand down-andfforward and backward as described.

The throw ofthe abdominal kneader is raising or lowering the bracket 54 upon the forward end of the rod IlhZILVlIlg a series of holes6l receiving a pin 62 passing through the projection 48 of the ring 47. The cylinders 18 are furnished with valves 7 63 set to regulate the {amount to which the air-in the cylinders must becompres ed to permit the exercising-wheels 2 and 3 to be turned, thus predetermining the amount'of energy thatthe exerciser 'must'put into the apparatus tov operate it at all The apparatus having been set "asdescribed, the exerciserjhasno optionfbut to move his hands and feetconcur'rently and -rhythmic ally, ifhe would not pit themnuance,

against eachother; if hedoes notput forth the effort to operate them rhythmically, the apparatus, itself. will operate Wthemfl mechanically. However, the purpose of the apparatus is to lead him to use the proper muscles at the proper time and to expend the The foot-power unit described provides for the movement of the. feetand legs in' the verticalv plane afterw-thegmanner of driving a bicycle. It is made not only adjustable, as described, but is also removable to be interchanged with a foot-power unit constructed for the circular movement of the feet and legs in a horizontal plane, whereby the character of the exercise of the muscles of the feet and legs is somewhat changed. Such a foot-power unit is illustrated in Figs. 7'and 8 of the drawings, in which a bracket-like pedestal 64 is formed with dovetail or beveled edges 65 adapted to be mounted in the dovetail floor-plate 10 shown in Fig. 5, in which it is adjustable back and forth in the same manner as the pedestal 9 of the other foot-power unit. The said pedestal 64 mounts a non-rotatable shaft 66 the projectingends of which carry brackets 67 in which vertical shafts 68 are journaled, these shafts being provided at their upper ends with crank-arms 69 carrying circular pedal-plates 70 having radially arranged strap-holes 71 providing for the straps by means of which the feet are held in place.

The lower ends of the said shafts 68 are furnished with bevel-gears 7 2 meshing into corresponding gears 7 3 on a revolving shaft 74 j ournaled in arms 75 offsetting from the brackets 67. The said shaft 74 mounts a bevel-gear 76 meshing into a bevel-gear 77 mounted in a bracket 7 8 carried'by the shaft 74:. The gear-wheel 77 is mounted u on a' driving-shaft 79 journaled in the brac :et 78 and corresponding to the shaft 39' of the other foot-power unit.

It will be readily, understood from the foregoing that. the two foot-power units separately organized as they are, may be interchanged according to the requirements of the exerciser.

lVhile I have shown my improved apparatus as driven by gears and shafting, it is obvious that without departing from my invention, I might use sprocket-wheels and sprocket-chains as a means of communicating motion from the foot-power unit to the main shaft and from the main shaft to the exercising-wheels. p 1 i. It isalsoapparent that,vif desired, the foot-work maybe cut out and the exercising- Wheels and abdominal-kneader used alone.

I claim: Y 1. An exercising apparatus having armexercising means rotating in the same hori.

Zontal plane, rotary leg-exercising means, operating connections between the said armand leg-exercising means whereby they are operated interdependently, and abdomenconexercising means attached to the said nections andoperated thereby. V

i 2. An exercising apparatus having rotary arm exercising, means, rotary leg-exercising means, means for connecting the said means whereby they are operated interdependently,

reciprocatory means for exercising the ab-' domen, and means for operating the same concurrently with the said arm and leg-exerclsing means.

8. An exercising apparatus having two exercising wheels located 'in the same horizontal plane and relatively positioned to be operated by the respective arms of the exerciser,

leg-exercising means, a seat and two pedals .arranged in proximity to the said wheels,

means connecting the said wheels and pedals for their interdependent operation whereby either is operated by the operation of the other, an abdominal-kneader located in front of the said seat and and above the same, and

means for operating the said kneader concurrently with the exercising of the arms and legs.

4. An exercising apparatus having two exercising-wheels located in the same horizon- ,tal plane and positioned to be operated by the respective arms of the exerciser, a seat and two pedals, a reciprocating abdominalkneader located in front of the said seat and above the same, and interdependent driving means for the said wheels, pedals, and kneader. I

' 5. An exercising apparatus having two vertically adjustable posts, a main framebar carried thereby, saddles mounted upon the said bar and laterally adjustable thereon, two exercising-wheels respectively supported by the said saddles in position to be operated by the respective arms of the exerciser, a seat, pedals located below the same for operation by the respective legs of the exerciser, a main shaft, a reciprocal abdominal-kneader supported by the said shaft and interdependent connections between the said wheels, pedals, and kneader, whereby the same are operated in unison.

6. An exercising apparatus having two ex- 7 Wheels, "air-compression means connecting the said wheels and the outer ends of the arms, pedals for operation by the feet of the exerciser and interdependent connection between" the said'wheels" and pedals;

7. An exercising apparatus having two ex ercising-wheels located in the same horizontal plane and positioned to be operatedby the respective arms of the exerciser, a main frame-bar carrying thesaid wheels, a seat,-a pedal-shaft, and pedals located below the same,- a main shaft located to oneside of the said main bar, universal adjustable connection between the pedal-shaft and the mainshaft, and connection between the wheels and the 'main shaft including shafts ar-' ranged transversely with respect to the main frame-bar, the said connections between thewheels and the pedals being interdependent so that the operation of either or both pedals or either or both wheels effects the correspending movementlof the otherfcorrespondingparts. a. x

8; An exercising apparatus having two errercising-wheels located in the same horizon; tal plane and relativelypositioned to be operated by the respective arms of the-eXer-' ciser, rotary leg-exercisingmeans," connections between the said armand leg-exercising means whereby they are operated inter-' dependently, and a seat positioned" with re-' spect to the said arms and leg-exercising means for the accommodation of the person using them. v r

a In testimony whereof l have signed'this specification in the presence of two subscrib- 

